Warriors: Moons prophecy book 1 part 1 (spoiler alert)
by IxyXVIII
Summary: Leopardkit is a small female kit, born after the battle between the Dark Forest and the Clans. Being the daughter of Lionblaze and Cinderheart, she has great expectations to live up to, but evil lurks in the remnants of the battle, threatening the very existence of all the Clans. Leopardkit must stand up and face these evils, or go down fighting.


_**Prologue**_

The ferns ruffled as a light breeze blew through Starclan territory. The cold leaf-fall that had come with the darkness had finally seemed to lift off of the Starclan lands. A silver she-cat slipped through the ferns followed by a cat with a pelt of flame.

"Greetings Firestar and Bluestar," a large white cat dipped his head to the flame pelted cat.

Firestar mewed, "Greetings Whitestorm," he flicked his bright orange tail across Whitestorms flank.

Bluestars eyes shone with starlight as she looked around the clearing, "Greenleaf has finally come back to Starclan."

Whitestorm's tail twitched, "yes the four cats have fulfilled the destiny that was laid out for them since the beginning of the clans."

"Fire has saved our clan," Bluestar flicked her tail over Firestars ear, "I couldn't have been more proud to bring you to the forest Firestar."

Firestar purred, "I was happy to come, Bluestar."

Whitestorm purred, "This is the dawn of the clans."

A sudden cold breeze ruffled the cat's fur; chills lifted against the starry cats pelts. Another cat padded up to them the fur lifting along her black colored pelt.

"Hollyleaf," Firestar murmured, "what is happening?"

Hollyleaf dipped her head, "Firestar there is something coming. I don't know what it is…" she flicked her tail, "but Fallen Leaves and Half Moon have warned me that there is a dark storm rising on the horizon."

The cats shivered against the dark wind blowing over Starclan's lands, Firestar pricked his ears. From far away a yowl sounded. It was so faint it was just on the edge of all the cats hearing.

"It can't be the Dark Forest!" Hollyleaf gasped.

"No, I don't believe it is," muttered Firestar, "it can't be!"

The four cats looked at one another, exchanging knowing glances. "It can't be the Dark Forest cats."

A cat with a wind slicked black pelt padded through the slimy moss and darkness in his dreams, a she cat that was almost see through padded beside him.

"Breezepelt, why have you returned to this doomed place," the she cat growled.

Breezepelt's hackles raised, he lifted his muzzle and hissed clearly, "I haven't given up yet Mapleshade. As long as I have any breath in my body I shall keep visiting here and learning. As long as I am alive I must find a way to kill the cats that ruined my life."

Mapleshade buffeted his cheek, "you fool! There is no one left to teach you!"

"This forest is endless! There are far more warriors left!"

"We are leaderless!"

Breezepelt flicked his tail in frustration, and then an idea made his eyes glitter darkly. He leaped up to a rotten log in a clearing.

"Let all cats old enough to kill their enemies gather to hear my words!"

Mapleshade flicked her ears in surprise as Dark Forest warriors streamed into the clearing.

"Who called the summons?"

"Is Brokenstar back?"

"Yellowfang killed him mouse-brain!"

Breezepelt raised his tail for the cats in the clearing to fall silent. "Cats of the Dark Forest, our leaders may be gone but this our chance! We know the clans are weakened after we fought them."

Several cats hissed their disapproval of Breezepelt, a clan cat, addressing them as if he was their leader. Anger darkened their battle-scarred features.

"So a mewling clan cat telling us what to do?!" hissed a snow white cat.

"Snowtuft! I am simply trying to unite us again!" Breezepelt hissed.

"Oh you hare-brained Clan cat! Why would any of us listen to you?" Snowtuft challenged.

Mapleshade gazed up at Breezepelt, understanding lit her gaze. "Breezepelt," she yowled, "kill any cat who opposes you!"

"As if he could kill me!" Snowtuft challenged.

Breezepelt yowled suddenly and bowled Snowtuft over. Snowtuft was ready for him; he slipped away from Breezepelt, and fast as a snake, bit into his foreleg.

Breezepelt yowled in pain and whiiped his head around. In a rage he grabbed Snowtufts scruff, and heaved him into the tree stump. While Snowtuft lat stunned, Breezepelt screeched and leaped on top of him. He held his claws on Snowtufts throat and hissed, "This is the only way these cats will listen!"

He slashed down and blood sprayed the forests slimy floor. Breezepelt watched until Snowtuft fully dissolved into nothing but a pool of blood.

Suddenly a cat called from the back of the crowd, "Breezestar! Breezestar!"

The chant rose up and seemed to engulf Breezepelt in an icy satisfaction. He fluffed out his pelt and yowled to the sky.

_**Chapter 1**_

Jayfeather was prodded awake by a sharp jab in the side, he hissed his frustration. He flicked up his ears, "What is it Lionblaze?"

Lionblaze had distress and worry flicking off of his pelt, "It's Cinderheart! She's been having pains." Lionblaze admitted.

Jayfeather nodded and flicked his tail over his brothers ears, "Alright Lionblaze! Stop fretting like a queen. Queens have been having kits since the beginning of the clans!" he reached into the medicine store and pulled out borage leaves, "Briarlight get some wet moss for Cinderheart."

Briarlight yawned and stretched, she blinked away sleep, "Are the kits coming already?"

"Wet moss!" Jayfeather snapped.

Briarlight flicked her ears and hauled herself across the den to the small pool in the back. She delicately dipped a wad of moss in the pool, then hauled her useless legs across the clearing.

Jayfeather padded swiftly outside, he let out a hiss as a sharp stick pricked his pads. Ever since the battle with the Dark Forest, the clearing hadn't been the same. Since he was blind he had trouble crossing over debris from where the Dark Forest had destroyed Thunderclans dens and nursery.

He felt a pelt press against his, "let me help you!" it murmured urgently.

Jayfeather pushed Lionblaze away, "I can handle it myself!" he snapped.

The nursery smelled warm and milky as Jayfeather squeezed his way in. Cinderheart was at the back of the den, her flanks rising and falling swiftly as she struggled to bring her kits into the world. Her ears pricked up, "Thank Starclan!" she gasped then winced and restrained a yowl as her body spasmed.

The first kit was coming.

Jayfeather bent over her, he placed a paw on her heaving flank. He flicked his tail across her ear comfortingly.

Brighthearts kits looked curiously from their nest. Brightheart gathered them up with her tail and bundled them in her nest. They were to be apprentices soon, and were almost too big to fit in the nursery anymore.

Cinderheart let out a yell and a wet bundle slid out onto the moss. Lionblaze licked it and placed the tiny kit against his mates flank. "It's a tom!" he purred.

Jayfeather purred as another wet bundle slid out onto the moss. He licked the cat furiously and placed the kit against Cinderhearts flank. A final wet bundle slid out onto the moss. Jayfeather watched the kit as it squirmed against its mother's body. Realization hit him like a hard stone. He could _see_ the kit. It was a she kit with spots along its body. Was Starclan sending him a vision?

A familiar scent hit his nose, "Hollyleaf?" he mewed in shock.

The ghostly dark pelt of his sister was in the den looking back at him with glimmering starlight in her eyes. Her tail swished gently over Cinderhearts flank, she looked down at the kit burrowing into her mothers flank.

"Jayfeather listen to my words well I say them before all of Starclan."

Jayfeather blinked at his sister and nodded, he pricked his ears as a dark wind suddenly blew through the hollow. The breeze was choking and covered the whole camp in smoke in darkness. He scrabbled out of the nursery yowling, "Lionblaze?! Bramblestar?!"

He whipped his head back and forth trying to blink away the swirling darkness. Then there was a loud crack and he shifted his gaze up as a huge bolt of lightning struck through the sky. A cat yowled somewhere and the yowl was joined by many that seeped into one hideous yowl.

A pelt pressed against his and Jayfeather flinched.

"Are you ok? You were acting kind of strange…," Lionblaze murmured, "is it the prophecy?"

Jayfeather shuddered, "no it was nothing." He shook himself out.

Briarlight had delivered the wet moss and Cinderheart was lapping up the water greatfully.

"Eat these it will help your milk come." Jayfeather murmured.

Lionbaze purred, "Two she cats and a tom!" he pressed his nose to each one. They smelled like him and like Cinderheart.

Jayfeather blinked and with frustration realized he could still see.

"Heed my words Jayfeather," Hollyleaf murmured, "A storm is coming on a dark breeze and only the eyes of a leopard and the blazing moon can make the storm disappear."

With that Hollyleaf vanished and darkness slammed down over his vision. He staggered a little then settled down panting.

"Ok Lionblaze this one will be Wolfkit, this one will be Hollykit…" Lionblaze purred at the name of his first she kit after his sister, "and this one will be Leopardkit…"

Jayfeather blinked thinking about the tiny new kits name, "_Leopardkit? Could she be part of this prophecy?"_

He shook his light gray pelt out and left Cinderheart and Lionblaze in peace. On his way back to the medicine den, he sensed concern flashing off of a cats pelt in his den.

Stifling a sigh he padded inside and lashed his tail, "What is it Leafpool?" he growled.

"Are you ok Jayfeather?" his mother padded up to him and pressed his muzzle against his. "I saw what happened in the medicine den. Are you ok?" she asked again.

He thrust her away, "I'm fine I just need some rest."

Jayfeather ignored the irritation and worry sparking off of Leafpools pelt, and settled into his nest. He let the dark blanket of sleep enfold him.

_**Chapter 2**_

Lionblaze blinked open his eyes, sleep still clouded their golden gaze but he shook it off. He stretched out feeling the lean muscles underneath his golden tabby fur and he padded outside.

The clearing was almost empty except for the few cats getting ready to do dawn patrol. He padded up to them, "Can I join?"

Squirrelflight nodded at him, "Of course Lionblaze," she purred, "but you might want to watch your tail."

Confusion lit Lionblazes gaze for a moment, and then he jumped in surprise as tiny claws dug into his tail. He whipped around a little too fast and sent Leopardkit flying across the clearing. The little kit quickly got up and licked her ruffled fur then sprang on her fathers tail again, "Get off my land Shadowclan thief!" her tiny yowl echoed around the clearing, alerting several sleeping cats.

"Shadowclan?! Are they invading?!" Thornclaw quickly scrabbled out of the warriors den.

Irritation pricked Lionblazes pelt, "No Thornclaw it's only a noisy kit invasion," he murmured looking sternly at Leopardkit.

Leopardkit scuffled her paws in the dirt, "sorry Lionblaze."

Lionblaze felt all his frustration melt and touched her head with his nose, "Its ok my brave young warrior! I promise I'll play with you once I get back from the dawn patrol."

Leopardkit perked up, her tiny sand colored ears angled toward the thorn barrier, "Can I please come with you? I promise I'll be good!" she puffed.

Lionblaze flicked his tail lightly over her ear, "When you're an apprentice you can, but not until then."

Leopardkit drooped and watched her father pad out of the thorn barrier and into the trees.

Lionblaze rushed through the forest; the other cats ran alongside him. He felt the wind brush his whiskers and the ground beneath his paws was soft. The branches above his head let down loose rays of sunshine that dappled his coat. Birdsong filled the trees and tempting prey scents made his mouth water.

The patrol suddenly halted and Lionblaze had to dig his claws into the earth in order to stop from crashing into Blossomfall's hindquarters.

"Prey stealers!" Thornclaw hissed his fury.

On the ground in front of the cats were the remains of a rabbit, Windclan scent lingered all around it. Lionblaze bent down to sniff at it, he couldn't identify the scent but it seemed familiar.

Thornclaw lashed his tail, "We must report back to Firestar!"

Molepaw unsheathed his claws and yowled, "Come out and fight you mange-pelts!"

Rosepetal slapped her tail over her apprentice's mouth, "They must have a reason for taking our prey."

Thornclaw gathered the patrol with a swish of his tail, "Let's remark the borders and report back to Firestar."

Lionblaze charged into camp along with the rest of the dawn patrol. He watched Thornclaw climb the Highledge.

"What's going on?" Jayfeather padded into the clearing. The scent of herbs clung to his pelt.

A little bundle of gray fluff was following at his heels. The little cat had the scent of herbs clinging to his pelt.

"Wolfkit! What were you doing in the medicine den?!" Lionblaze exclaimed.

"He was interested in the herbs!" Jayfeather snapped, "Now will you answer my question?"

Lionblaze lashed his tail and quickly described what had happened to Jayfeather. The fur along his brother's spine bristled, he let out a hiss, "So soon after we defeated the Dark Forest?"

"I wouldn't put it past Windclan." Lionblaze murmured.

"It was probably the black cat!" a tiny meow sounded behind Lionblaze making him start.

"Leopardkit!" he yowled, "don't do that!"

Jayfeather narrowed his blue gaze, though he was blind, it seemed like he was the least blind of all, "Did you find this out when you went into the forest Leopardkit?" he meowed.

Leopardkit's fur bristled, "How did you guess?!"

Jayfeather snorted, "Your pelt smells of the dirtplace and of the forest. You're a smart kit to roll around in mushrooms to try to disguise your scent, but I can smell mushroom scent from a mile away."

Leopardkit bristled and drooped, Cinderheart came bounding out of the nursery. She swiped her gray tail around her kit.

"I'm sorry! I fell asleep and these two escaped!" she meowed fretfully.

Lionblaze glanced at his kit. Her eyes were round with terror, her fur was bristling.

Jayfeather purred, "Oh it's ok Cinderheart, they were a big help in the medicine den."

"Were you bothering Jayfeather?" Cinderheart scolded, "Brightheart can't watch you and her kits all at the same time. You all are quite a handful!"

Leopardkit looked at her father great fully, her sand colored tail went straight up. Wolfkit purred and leaped on his father's tail, "I'm Windclan and we're coming to invade your camp!"

Hollykit came tumbling out of the nursery and she barreled into her father. Then Leopardkit joined and Lionblaze was swallowed under a mass of writhing kits.

"Help! I'm being attacked," he yowled in mock terror.

As his kits tussled with him a cold feeling of dread made Lionblaze almost freeze in his tracks. What did his daughter mean by the black cat? She couldn't have gotten far from the camp with no cat seeing her.

Were Windclan in Thunderclan territory and did that mean there was an invasion waning on the horizion?

Lionblaze swallowed his nagging suspicions and tossed a ball of moss into the air.

"Who wants to play mossball?" he called.


End file.
